Sekondi Prisons gets block-molding factory

Sekondi, Dec. 4, GNA - The Prisons Ministry of Ghana would soon acquire lands across the country and establish resettlement homes for mates who are released from prison.

They would be housed in the homes for a year before they are allowed to go to their families for easy integration. The Rev Dr Chris Hesse, the Executive Director of the Prisons Ministry of Ghana, said this at the inauguration of a block factory for prisons in the Western Region.

He said so far Sunyani and Ho have benefited from similar factories and it is expected to assist the inmates to acquire some skills, improve the internally generated funds of the prisons and create employment for other youths. Rev Dr Hesse said the inmates must be assisted to become self-reliant, productive and live more responsible lives after their sentences.

He said by 2008, all male prisons in Ghana would have block-molding factories, while existing bakeries in the women's prisons would also be enhanced.

Rev Dr Hesse suggested to the prisons authorities must set up a management group to run both the bakery and the block factory on commercial basis.

He expressed regret that out of the 1,500 inmates released on amnesty by the government last year almost all of them were back in prison due to neglect by their families and rejection by society. Dr Peter K. Quist, the Chairman of the Prisons Ministry, was of the view that family explosion could result in high prison inmates. Mr. Rami Baitie, Corporate Affairs Manager of Ecobank Ghana, said the bank sponsored the project with 40 million cedis for the construction of the factory.

He said Ecobank would continue to support the ministry in any future activities.

In a speech read on his behalf Mr. Anthony E. Amoah, Western Regional Minister, said reformed inmates of the prisons must use their skills to improve themselves. He said the government would continue to provide the various prisons training centres with tools to make the reformation of inmates a reality.